ThePortForum.com

I learned today, some brief details of an intriguing stash that one of the London auctioneers has been asked to consider marketing..

..I'm not sure to what extent this was told to me in confidence, so I will refrain from mentioning the auction house in question at this point.

There are about 2000 bottles in total that were bottled fairly recently from old casks that pre-date WWII. As I understand it, the wine was made in Madeira, but was shipped in cask to the mainland a very long time ago.

Sample bottles have been tried, and found to be most impressive.

However, the lack of precedents is making valuation difficult.

I dropped a broad hint that a sample bottle would find a welcome home, but did not secure a firm promise...

- Anyone heard of anything similar before?

Yes. I heard of a recent deal for a very similar stash where the vendor decided to sell all of the bottles to a bunch of Port geeks for £5 per bottle. Perhaps a precedent has been set?

Is this believed to be Madeira or a dry wine from the island? Or something else all together?

DRT wrote:Yes. I heard of a recent deal for a very similar stash where the vendor decided to sell all of the bottles to a bunch of Port geeks for £5 per bottle. Perhaps a precedent has been set?

certainly has state side!

If this becomes public, I would be interested in a case or two.

Is this believed to be Madeira or a dry wine from the island? Or something else all together?

My understanding is that it is a fortified wine from Madeira that has been aged in the manner of a Port Colheita.

uncle tom wrote:

Is this believed to be Madeira or a dry wine from the island? Or something else all together?

My understanding is that it is a fortified wine from Madeira that has been aged in the manner of a Port Colheita.

So that could be Madeira or something else

I believe that the only way in which the bottles are likely to find a buyer will be to provide a series of samples to potential buyers. There are a fair number of potential buyers about and this forum is certainly one of them considering that so far this year we have purchased a little over 100 cases of Port from Portugal plus probably not far off the same from the secondary market.

I don't think you should drop a hint to the auction house, I think you should point out what heavy buyers we are of Port and that we are interested in learning more and would be serious potential buyers of a large volume at the right price. The only way in which we would even consider making an offer would be if we could first sample a handful of the different wines to understand their quality and state of health. I would also want to know considerably more detail about the provenance of the wines.

I don't think you should drop a hint to the auction house, I think you should point out what heavy buyers we are of Port and that we are interested in learning more and would be serious potential buyers of a large volume at the right price. The only way in which we would even consider making an offer would be if we could first sample a handful of the different wines to understand their quality and state of health. I would also want to know considerably more detail about the provenance of the wines.

Agree. Have emailed to that effect. Will see how they react.

Add me to the list of those interested, though I'd probably have a more difficult time getting a sample to try before purchasing. I can make arrangements through Adventures in Wine to get it to the US if I do buy some of it.

Me, too. Any chance to get a sip beforehand?

Axel

The auctioneers agree that there should be a wider circulation of sample bottles, and are consulting with the vendor.

Yes please. Only last week I placed an order for 175½ litres of port.